


When They Were

by Princessfbi



Category: Les Misérables (2012), Les Misérables - All Media Types, Les Misérables - Schönberg/Boublil, Les Misérables - Victor Hugo
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Christmas, Courfeyrac and family, Courfeyrac is good friend, Enjolras Has Feelings, Established Relationship, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Running Away, Stuffed Toys, horror movies, random holidays
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-24
Updated: 2014-12-24
Packaged: 2018-03-03 04:38:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2838218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Princessfbi/pseuds/Princessfbi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When they were eight, Courfeyrac gave Enjolras a stuffed dog holding a pumpkin in his mouth for Christmas.</p>
            </blockquote>





	When They Were

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Holidays everyone!

When they were eight, Enjolras could only stare at the stuffed dog with a pumpkin hanging out of its mouth with a mild case of confusion and dumbfounded-ness that got lost in translation on the face of a child. 

"Merry Christmas!" Courfeyrac had exclaimed before thrusting the poorly wrapped present into Enjolras's unsuspecting hands. The construction paper had fallen away easily, the scotch tape holding it together breaking apart the moment Enjolras’s fingers had so much as touched it and revealed the stuffed animal.

"Thank you," he said politely instead of commenting on the incorrect holiday correlation. And--- oh! Was he supposed to have brought something for Courfeyrac? Like going to the store and paying money for a cup of tea or shoes or...

Enjolras began to feel the swelling pangs of panic in his chest. Had he done everything wrong? What was he suppose to give Courf? He didn't know and... And... Courfeyrac was his only friend! What if he didn't want to be Enjolras's friend anymore? What if---

Courfeyrac bound forward and launched himself at Enjolras with a laugh, squeezing him as tight as he could. 

"I'm so glad you like him! Or her. It can be whatever you want but I thought it was a him! Oh, I'm so happy you like him!"

Later that day, Enjolras took extra care to make sure ‘Tim the Him’ stayed out of sight of his parents. Surely, if they saw the stuffed animal they would have scoffed at it and told Enjolras to give it away.

And when Courfeyrac and his older sister had come to pick him up for a sleepover on New Years' Eve, the floppy puppy was slung over his arm and held close to his chest. 

When they were twelve, Enjolras woke up Christmas day to a stuffed dolphin with a giant red ribbon tied around its fin. He had spent the night at Courfeyrac’s house after days and days of pleading, begging, and childishly threatening his parents to let him go. The moment he had walked through the door he had been caught in the whirlwind of excitement. The energy seemed to pass through Courfeyrac to his sisters and mother like a current. The music had been loud, the singing louder, the lights twinkling, and the food sweet and warm. It had been his favorite Christmas.

When they’re fourteen, Courfeyrac’s mother took them to one of those stores where you could build your very own bear. They were a bit old for the festivities of the store but humored her anyway. Seeing Enjolras, Combeferre, and Courfeyrac growing into puberty had sent her into a tailspin of motherhenning and frantic reminiscing. Courfeyrac, the sneak, had acted like he had been honestly asking Combeferre’s opinion when setting about dressing his overly soft teddy bear. Instead, he had been confiding with him and Enjolras had opened the box Christmas day with a birth certificate signed by both Combeferre and Courfeyrac.

When they were seventeen, Courfeyrac had found a large over stuffed elephant that he had given to Enjolras three days before Christmas. That had also been the age when Enjolras had moved out--- see ran away--- from home. Courfeyrac had brought it over to Combeferre’s that night and had held Enjolras the entire time he had spent crying out pent up frustrations and hurt feelings. The tradition of horror movies during the holiday season was born that night.

When they were twenty-three, when all of his stuffed animals he had acquired over the years were tucked safely away in an antique chest at the end of his bed that Jehan had gotten him for his birthday, Enjolras had spent Christmas with Grantaire. It was their first time as a couple but it had been the first time Enjolras hadn’t gone home to celebrate with Courfeyrac. He had been absolutely gutted and no matter how many times Grantaire had told him to go and Courfeyrac had jokingly told him that he was _no longer welcome at the Courfeyrac residence and therefore must spend his holidays with his gorgeous boyfriend, you dumb prat…_ Enjolras had still been torn up all the way to Christmas Eve.

“Open up this one,” Grantaire said after he dropped down in a heap beside Enjolras, curling an arm around his shoulders and pulling him close.

“We said no presents until the morning,” Enjolras said. Grantaire tsked, stretching his legs until they were draped across Enjolras’s lap effectively trapping him on the couch.

Grantaire gave him a knowing smile. “You’ve been brooding for the last two hours.“

“I haven’t---“ Enjolras began to argue but Grantaire silenced him with a kiss. The tension that had set in the blond’s shoulders eased and he slumped into Grantaire’s chest with a sigh.

“I’m sorry,” he mumbled, curling a fist around the worn fabric of Grantaire’s hoodie.

“It’s fine, Enj. I get it,” Grantaire said into Enjolras’s hair. For a moment neither said anything, simply allowing themselves to get lost in each other’s arms. Grantaire ran a hand up and down Enjolras’s back, presenting the pristinely wrapped Christmas present with a simple flourish that was so Grantaire Enjolras couldn't help but smile and take the present. With nimble fingers, Enjolras tore the paper and handed the trash to Grantaire while he opened the box.

Inside was a floppy stuffed dog with a heart in its mouth and a note pinned to his ear.

_Tim the Him needed a friend. Happy Christmas. XO- Courf._

Grantaire looked far too smug to not know and with a smirk he tugged on a curl at the nap of Enjolras’s neck.  “Courf called me. His mother wants us both over for Christmas dinner tomorrow but he figured you would be needing this tonight."

He didn’t realize he had curled his arms around the stuffed dog until the heart in its mouth jabbed Enjolras in the ribs as he leaned forward to kiss Grantaire.


End file.
